You can make birdhouses from recycled material easily. Everyone works a bit differently, I determine the location of the birdhouse and build to suit. You may prefer to build your birdhouse and then find a location to hang it.
Regardless of your style, you need to keep a few things in mind to make your birdhouse useful to our feathered friends.
Ease of Clean out
You have to be able to clean out the old nests each year. This makes the house available to new nest seekers. This also reduces the likelihood of pest build up. You do not want the chicks to be eaten alive by mites or the like. I find used coffee cans to be excellent as I make use of the plastic lids. When it is time to clean the house out in winter, I can just pop the lid off and scoop the old nest into the compost pile. Wipe the inside down with an antibacterial wipe and replace the lid. Simple as that and you are done!
What Bird are you Helping?
Different sized birds look for different sized openings. If you know the bird you are after, simply look up their ideal nest boxes. This chart is also hand for many of the most common species. You really should size the hole accordingly because it helps protect the bird from larger predators.
Inspiration
Your birdhouses can be made in many ways and from many things. Check out this video for a more traditional take on recycled birdhouses. You can find motivation anywhere! Here is a simple guide for using a coffee can or milk carton.
You can use an old oil can, or teapot if you choose too! I have even seen birdhouses made out of basketballs! Let your imagination run wild. Our feathered friends will thank you.
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